


This Was Arson...

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 19:59:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14088534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: During the evening, Jim hears sirens, and feels he has to check the situation





	This Was Arson...

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2018 Sentinel Bingo prompt 'sirens'

This Was Arson...

by Bluewolf

Jim switched off the TV and gave a long, satisfied "Aaaahhhhh!" as he stretched luxuriously. Blair looked up from the blue book he was grading, his attention drawn by the sound - the sound on the TV had been so low he hadn't even been aware of it, even though he knew that it was on.

"Bedtime?" he asked.

"Not yet, but soon," Jim replied. "Are you nearly finished?"

"One more after this one," Blair said. "It won't take long."

"You always finish with the ones you know won't need much correcting, don't you."

"Eli taught me that," Blair said. "By the time you're half-way through you're getting tired; you're less and less in the mood to tackle something that needs a lot of concentration. So you leave the easy ones till last. That way you can do the lot in one evening, maybe two if you've got a really big class. Do the easy ones first, you could be talking double that."

Jim grinned. "Tricks of the trade?"

"You could call it that," Blair agreed. He added the book to the pile of graded ones and reached for the last one.

And then Jim stiffened, raising his head in a listening pose.

"What is it?" Blair asked.

"Sirens."

"They have to be quite far away - I don't hear anything."

"Somewhere near the docks, I think... I've got to go and see what's happening!"

"Jim, if you were needed Simon would have phoned you!" But Blair was already joining Jim at the coatrack and grabbing for his coat.

"You don't need to come!" Jim said.

"You might need me," Blair replied. Jim headed for the door, Blair at his heels.

***

They hadn't gone far before Jim said, "It's a fire."

Blair nodded; even he could see the smoke in the night sky ahead of them.

Jim stopped the truck beside one of the patrol cars, placed where it could stop any traffic whose drivers might think it was a good idea to drive on and past the burning building. "Hello, officer. Detective Ellison and Consultant Sandburg." He showed his badge. "We were passing a couple of streets away and heard the sirens, then saw the fire. What's the story? Do you need any help?"

"No, Detective, things are under control. The building involved seems to have been used for storage - "

Blair was already nodding. "Aly Pearson," he said. "He's a small shopkeeper, doesn't have anywhere at his shop to store more than a few things, so he rented this place."

"How do you know that?" The patrol officer sounded startled.

"There's not much Sandburg doesn't know," Jim said. "Know where Pearson lives, Chief?"

"In the attic apartment above his shop."

Jim cast one more look at the burning building. "I hope he has the stuff here insured," he said. "Right, officer - we'll go and let the owner know about the fire, then report to your Captain in the morning. Meanwhile, could you let Despatch know that someone has gone to tell the man whose property is being destroyed about the fire."

"Will do, Detective, and thanks."

Jim and Blair got back into the truck, Blair gave Jim the address and they set off. Jim sighed.

"This was a case of arson, Chief," he said. "Whether the guy torched his own storage unit or whether someone did it out of spite, it's arson. I could smell the gas that was used. I doubt anyone else would, though when the Fire Department checks the place tomorrow, they're pretty sure to spot it. But if I see Pearson tonight, I'll know if he was directly involved."

"I hope he wasn't," Blair said. "He's a nice guy."

The shop was actually still open. The middle-aged man in it was restocking a shelf. He glanced around. "Blair? What brings you here?"

"Sorry, Aly - this is a sort of official visit."

"Official?"

"This is my partner - Detective Ellison, Major Crime."

"Hello, Detective."

Blair went on. "Aly, we've just come from the docks. Your storage unit there - it's on fire."

"What?"

Jim nodded to himself. Pearson wasn't directly involved. "Can you think of anyone who might torch the place?" he asked.

"Torch it?" Pearson sounded really startled

"We won't know for certain until the fire department can check it out, but I thought I smelled gas."

"Oh, god. He meant it... "

"He?"

Pearson looked unhappily at him. "My son Robbie. Robert. He worked for me, but I caught him stealing a few days ago. I told him I wouldn't prosecute, but that he no longer had a job working for me. He said I'd be sorry... This has to be his revenge."

"We'll need to question him. Does he actually live with you?"

Pearson shook his head. "He moved in with his girlfriend a few weeks ago. I can't say I like her... I suspect her of encouraging him to steal from me, but I can't prove it. 496 Seattle Road. Her name is Yoker. Rose Yoker."

***

When they arrived at 496 Seattle Road, it was to find a scene of total discord. There were a lot of things - clothes, books - scattered on the ground, only partly visible in the now fading light, and even as they watched some more things were thrown out of an upstairs window. A woman's voice screeched, "I knew you were a total loser! I never want to see you again!" The window banged shut.

A man was scrambling around gathering up things, pushing them into the back of his car.

Jim waited until he had gathered up everything and closed the car door, then walked forward.

"Robert Pearson?"

"Yes."

"Detective Ellison. You are under arrest for suspected arson. You have the right to remain silent - "

He handcuffed Pearson junior inside the truck as he finished the Miranda. Without waiting to be told, Blair checked Pearson's car - the keys were in the ignition. Jim set off, Blair close behind him, heading for the PD.

One crime Jim could not forgive was arson.

 


End file.
